* The scoring from the game was changed with those changes now reflected in the story.
Hays Post
NORTH PLATTE, Neb. – The Hays Larks were literally off and running to the start of their 2023 season Thursday night. They stole seven bases and beat the North Platte Plainsmen 8-3 at Bill Wood Field.
The shorthanded Larks, who had only nine position players available, scored all of their runs in the sixth inning or later.
They took a brief lead with two runs in the sixth then after the Plainsmen (0-4) tied the game in the bottom of the sixth, the Lark struck for two in the seventh and never trailed again. They added a run in the eighth then put the game away with three in the ninth.
Damian Ruiz, a freshman from Houston Christian, drove in Brady Evans with the Larks first run on a two-out single in the sixth. Ruiz later scored on an error to give Hays a 2-1 lead. Bryson Evans, a freshman out of Murray State (Okla.) College, led off the seventh with a single and later scored on a passed ball to give the Larks the lead for good.
Garrett Gruell, who played the last two seasons at Murray State (Okla.) College and is a Texas A&M-Corpus Christi signee, drove in a run in the eighth with a single then two in the ninth with a double. Gruell, who played with the Larks last summer, finished with three hits and three RBIs.
Starting pitcher Kaleb Meredith, who was 3-0 in over 30 innings for the Larks last summer, went six innings last night and picked up the win. The Chattanooga (Tenn.) CC freshman, allowed two runs on five hits with four strikeouts and no walks.
Another returner from last season, Caden Hare, allowed one run on two hits in two innings of relief. First baseman and catcher Tyler LaRue, another returner from last year, pitched a scoreless ninth.
THE DIRTY DOZEN
The Larks 12 stolen bases are the most since they swiped eight vs. the Colorado Tribe on July 18, 2022. Bryson Evans and Damian Ruiz both stole three bases. Tyler LaRue and Garrett Gruell had two stolen bases each with Brady Evans and Austin Stracener swiping one.
UP NEXT
The Larks open a 2-game series vs. the Western Nebraska Pioneers Friday in Gering, Nebraska. Both games start at 6:35 MDT. The Pioneers are 3-2.